Metro East Sun

Mike Babcock shudders to think what Illinois might actually look like once the COVID-19 crisis has finally passed.

“You worry about the economy going forward and question why Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker doesn’t seem to be doing anything to address the problem,” Babcock told the Metro East Sun. “Our small business industry is dying before our eyes and you don’t hear anything from the governor about providing support for this vital part of our state economy.”

A new TrackTheRecovery.org analysis details that since the dawn of 2020, Illinois has lost more than one-third of all its small businesses as the impact of the lingering pandemic and the governor’s shutdown and restrictions actions continue to be felt. Overall, data compiled by Harvard and Brown universities and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation shows as of Nov. 16, 2020 the number of small businesses open dipped by some 35.4% compared to January of this year with the industry also experiencing a revenue decline topping 39% since January.

“You look at everything that’s happening and it’s no wonder that we have the outflow and outmigration problems that we do,” Babcock added. “Now you add the problem with small businesses and it seems like there’s no end in sight.”

National Federation of Independent Business Illinois State Director Mark Grant points out that running a small business in Illinois was already quite the challenge even before the pandemic hit, given such factors as higher property taxes and workers’ compensation.

Babcock said he sometimes wonders if any of that truly registers with the governor.

“I don’t think he’s spent a lot of time thinking about that,” he said. “And if he has, it’s been a short time. You haven’t seen any group think sessions or list of recommendations put together to try to help make things better for people. While the governor may be a millionaire a few times over, he hasn’t shown himself to hold the management skills needed to manage this state.”